Regional Analysis

by Amanda Rohrer
April 2011

Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Twin Cities area employment showed strong growth in March as the over-the-month increase of 0.6 percent was about double the usual March increase. Leisure and hospitality was among the supersectors showing the strongest growth as the monthly gain was about three times the average March increase. Education and health care showed a strong month with health care employment showing the strongest monthly unadjusted gain for March since 2001. Natural resources, mining, and construction showed the strongest March increase since 2000. Over the past year the Twin Cities showed the same rate of growth as the state at 0.8 percent. Professional and business services had the largest annual gain of 8,100 jobs. The employment services industry has been the main engine of growth for the supersector with an annual increase estimated at 7,200 in March. Manufacturing also posted a healthy increase of 4,100 jobs with durable- and nondurable-goods manufacturing showing gains of 2.3 and 2.9 percent respectively. Leisure and hospitality’s performance was a very mixed bag. The annual decline of 500 reflected a loss of 2,900 in arts, entertainment, and recreation that erased a gain of 2,100 made in food services and drinking places. Government added 1,300 almost entirely with increases in the non-education portion of local government.

Duluth-Superior MSA

Employment in Duluth-Superior saw an unadjusted monthly increase that was just a bit faster than normal at 0.2 percent. Two areas showed monthly growth that was robust compared to past years. Leisure and hospitality increased 1.5 percent, about double the average change over the past 10 years. The increase in mining, logging, and construction was about 1 percent above average growth as well. The weakest monthly results were in professional and business services, which fell by 1 percent compared to the usual addition of about 0.4 percent. Over the past year the MSA added 200 jobs. The private sector added over 500 jobs but was counterbalanced by losses in government. Private sector growth was centered in education and health, in  mining, logging, and construction, and in manufacturing, up 200.

Rochester MSA

The monthly gain of 0.1 percent in Rochester was a bit below normal. The biggest reason for this slight weakness was professional and business services where employment fell 0.5 percent compared to the average increase of 2.2 percent posted the previous 10 years. Financial activities was about 0.6 percentage point below its average. Over the past year the MSA added 500 jobs with 400 of the increase coming in goods producing including 300 in manufacturing. Growth in private services occurred in professional and business services and in leisure and hospitality, but these gains were erased by losses in other private service industries particularly retail trade, which was down 200.

St. Cloud MSA

St. Cloud employment was up 0.3 percent on a monthly basis, a gain that was below the usual monthly increase. Professional and business services saw a loss of 0.2 percent compared to an average March increase of 1.3 percent during the previous 10 years. Monthly results in education and health and in government employment were also below expectations. Mining, logging, and construction had a monthly growth of 3.1 percent, about twice the usual March gain. Compared to last March the MSA added 1,900 jobs. Areas with strong annual growth included educational and health services, up 700, local government, up 600, and retail trade, up 300.

Fargo-Moorhead MSA

The monthly employment change in the Fargo-Moorhead area was equal to 0.6 percent, slightly below expectations for March. Retail trade and government employment were both substantially weaker for the month. The annual rate of growth fell slightly to 1 percent. Manufacturing showed a gain of 4.3 percent with substantial gains also occurring in leisure and hospitality and in wholesale trade. Annual declines occurred in retail trade, information, and educational and health services.

Grand Forks MSA

There was no change in employment over the month of March for the Grand Forks MSA as performance fell below expectations. Seasonal hiring in mining, logging, and construction led to a monthly gain of 6.5 percent, but these results were countered by small losses in most other areas. The relatively poor results for the month led to a drop in the annual rate of change to 0.5 percent. Areas showing the best annual growth included mining, logging, and construction; professional and business services; and other services.

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